The Pawn, The Prince & The Diamond In The Rough
by Lil Chrissy
Summary: Part One  Constantine shoved Kristina onto the helicopter. Ethan ran as fast as he could & the last thing he saw was Krissy mouth 'I love you', before it left to parts unknown.  A deal Alexis made w/Helena could mean Ethan will lose Krissy forever!


**THE PAWN, THE PRINCE & THE DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH**

**An Ethina Adventure**

**By: Lil' Chrissy **

Part One

"You're insane! If you think you're going to get away with this, think again!" Kristina shot back with fire.

"Well then, I guess his death is on your head. Frankie…call me when it's done", the order was given.

Kristina's heart skipped a beat. "No! You can't kill him!" Though she was terrified at the thought, she tried to show no fear.

"Such fierceness my dear. The conditions are non-negotiable. You agree to cooperate and Mr, Lovett will continue to breathe… for now."

Kristina's mind raced. The thought of never seeing Ethan again ripped her soul to the core, but she knew the threat was very real and would be followed through. Somehow knowing Ethan would be out there in the world, living his life was of some comfort to her- even if she never saw him again.

"Frankie…."

"Wait!" She quickly interrupted. "Fine. I'll do whatever you want, but only if you promise me you won't hurt Ethan." Kristina reluctantly agreed hoping to stall and give time to warn Ethan, as well as find a way to escape.

A grin slowly crossed Helena's face. "Excellent. See now that wasn't too difficult was it?" Helena dismissed Frankie then put her arm around Kristina. "All it required was right incentive."

Kristina cringed at Helena's touch and was sickened by the plan. She hoped to find a way out…back to Ethan!

As fog slowly crept towards the shore, the temperature dropped and the wind whipped through the docks feeling like talons on skin. While most hurried on their way taking shelter, Ethan sat on the bench looking at the approaching storm…. alone.

His mind raced as Luke's voice echoed in a continual loop.

"_Helena has taken Kristina, Dodge." _

The words _'taken Kristina' _repeated over and over until the sound was so loud, he couldn't take it anymore and threw the bottle of whiskey into the sea that lay before him.

"_We'll get her back", Lucky said with conviction though both Luke and Lucky shot forlorn looks. _

Ethan had returned that day after a jaunt to Atlantic City to 'fill the coffers' as he always put it. It was a fruitful trip and he'd won enough money to be set for a while. Although Luke returned, by that time Tracy sold the Haunted Star and then Johnny fired him…at Kristina's request. Now when he looked back on it he was grateful. He'd never felt comfortable working for Johnny, though the money was great and while he appeared upset, inside he was relieved. Of course he hadn't told Kristina that. Instead he dropped her home and Kristina again, called him out on his feelings.

"_Why are we playing these games Ethan? I know you. If you didn't care about me you wouldn't push me away all the time. Besides, even Johnny can see how you feel." _

_Ethan looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Kristina, I'm not going through this again…" _

"_Yeah, yeah, I know! I'm too young for you", she interrupted without letting him_

_finish. "It's just an excuse because you're afraid of getting hurt again. Ethan I see it your face, the way you care about me and how you always protect me. No matter what you do, you can't help but love me." _

_She had flashed that smile only reserved for him and with a wink, exited the car, leaving him shaking his head with a small grin. He knew she was right._

Suddenly his thoughts were jolted by thunder that clapped overhead as lightening flashed across the sky, illuminating the dark corners of the pier. Huge rain drops began to fall and then the storm crashed into the shore full force.

Ethan stood looking out into the darkness…numb. He didn't care about anything…except getting his Kissy back.

Kristina stood looking out the window at the full moon as the waves beat into the cliffs below. All she could do was hope Helena kept her end of the bargain.

Lost in thought, she remembered when she first met Ethan and how he sang to her 'I Need You Tonight'- truer words had never been spoken. She recalled the look in his eyes in that moment, the look of knowing, as though deep in his soul he knew he already loved her. The moment their eyes met she knew it was…inevitable.

Then she flashed back to the last time she saw him, when again he denied his feelings. However, his denials couldn't mask the flicker of love in his eyes, as well as the tone of his voice.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her bedroom door. It was Frankie, with a tray of food for her. He went to put it on the small table near the window and noticed the uneaten lunch.

"You have to eat", he spoke in a thick Russian accent. "Starving yourself won't change the plan", he gruffly added.

Kristina ignored him as though he wasn't there and continued to look out the window. With no response, he put the dinner tray down, took the lunch tray, then left.

They'd arrived on Cassadine Island 10 days ago.

_Kristina had just finished her night class before the Thanksgiving holiday and was headed to her car in the campus parking lot. It was eerily quiet as she left the building, with only a few students walking in the distance across the street. The parking lot was almost empty and it felt like someone was watching her…following her. Hearing footsteps that quickened as she walked faster, she turned around expecting to see someone, however no one was there. She hurried to her car and began to unlock it when someone grabbed her from behind! A cloth was put over her nose and mouth. She struggled, though not for long, as the chloroform did its job rendering her unconscious! _

_The next thing she remembered was waking up on the private jet with a huge headache. Then she saw Helena sitting across from her, with a grin as though they were just on a little vacation. She recalled thinking it couldn't really be happening, it had to be a nightmare- unfortunately it wasn't. _

"_Nice of you to join us", Helena greeted._

_Kristina rubbed her temples trying to dull the ache and it took a moment for her to focus then realize she was on a jet. "Where are we going?" _

"_To Greece", Helena simply informed. Then she laid out the plan. "We're meeting your fiancé."_

_Kristina thought she hadn't heard correctly, still groggy from the chloroform. "What are you talking about?" She strongly questioned with clear discontent._

"_I'm surprised your mother never told you", she began. _

"_What the fuck are you talking about?" Kristina threw back annoyed._

"_Is that anyway to talk to your great-grandmother?" _

_Helena motioned to one of her escorts to hand Kristina a glass of water. Thinking there were drugs in it she pushed the glass away, causing it to fall to the ground and shatter. He harshly grabbed her by the arm, but Helena motioned for him to release her. _

"_How trite, refusing my hospitality", Helena commented with dismay. Kristina shot her a piercing look of hate. Helena continued. "Now, while Natasha refuses to follow through with our agreement, I won't. Did she ever tell you about your destiny?" Helena took a sip of her champagne as though she were celebrating a momentous occasion._

_Kristina was slowly beginning to panic inside but tried to remain calm and put on a strong front. "Destiny?" She sarcastically asked staring straight into Helena's darkened eyes. _

"_I'm not surprised. I knew Natasha wasn't honorable enough to follow through with such a deal. I always knew it would be up to me to see that it was done", Helena crowed. _

_Kristina was irritated at Helena's cryptic references. "Not honorable for what? What deal? What the hell are you talking about?" Kristina's nerves were shot and she was in no frame of mind to play these games. _

"_When I learned Natasha was pregnant by that thug Sonny Corinthos, I told her there was no way I was going to allow the child to be born. It's bad enough to have the Cassadine line soiled by her birth, but to have another bastard child brought into this world as a Corinthos? The association alone was going to be disastrous for the entire family, would cause irreversible damage to what the Cassadine's have built over the years. The day she found out she was pregnant I had a little chat with Natasha. I promised to allow both of you to live as long as she agreed to turn you over upon your 18th birthday to marry the heir to the Greek throne, Constantine Margolis. Marrying him will once again, bring honor and true royal blood to the Cassadine line", Helena proudly described. _

_Kristina was having a hard time processing this demented plan. Her mind raced as she tried to understand the graveness of her situation. Helena could see fear cross Kristina's face like a cloud. _

"_Now my dear don't fret. Constantine is an amazing man, handsome, rich…you'll be well taken care of", she added with a smirk. _

_Anger welled inside and Kristina lashed out. "There is no way my mother would ever agree to anything as insane as this! I don't believe you! I'll never believe you!" _

_Helena was actually impressed by Kristina's spunk and chuckled. "I see you have Natasha's flair for drama", she added amused. "While I find it….endearing, I doubt Constantine will. We'll need a little time to prepare you to become the wife of refined royalty."_

As Kristina thought back, a single tear streamed down her face. After a moment she pulled herself together, then decided it was time to take action and started to formulate a plan…

Ethan showed up at the PCPD completely drenched and half-drunk. By the look on Luke & Lucky's faces he could tell the news wasn't good. "Lucky said you'd tell me the whole story." He clumsily plopped down on the chair in the interrogation room.

Mac opened his file. "When Alexis called and said Kristina wasn't home by midnight, she met me at the campus. We found Kristina's keys, books and purse next to her car in the campus parking lot", he informed.

Ethan lowered his head and looked at the floor, as a picture of Kristina getting grabbed flickered in his mind like a horror movie. Mac continued.

"When the car was towed from the lot, the tow truck driver found this underneath the car." Mac handed Ethan a piece of paper.

Ethan's stomach dropped- it was an itinerary for a private jet to Greece! He handed it to Luke and his expression was not of complete shock, but of confirmation that his suspicions were right.

"Looks like Helena has taken Kristina to Cassadine Island", Lucky sorrowfully reported. "According to Alexis, when Helena found out she was pregnant with Sonny's child, she agreed to let them both live if she gave Kristina over to the Margolis heir upon her 18th birthday. Though she never underestimates Helena, Alexis thought she'd be able to circumvent her when she made contact. No contact was made and instead, Helena took Kristina", he relayed. "No one was aware she was in town", he added with dismay.

Luke looked at Ethan then Lucky. "What's the plan Mac", he asked.

"Well, I've alerted Grecian Commander Geirgos of the situation and he has assured me he'll find out what's going on. If Helena does have Kristina, he'll get her out of there until you arrive", he directed at Lucky.

Ethan stood up annoyed. "That's not good enough! The minute Helena realizes we're on to her, who knows what she'll do to Kristina!" They could all see the panic in Ethan's eyes.

Lucky tried to allay his fears. "We'll head over there and by the time we arrive, I'm sure the Commander will have Kristina and this will all be over."

Luke put his hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Listen Dodge, let's get over to the Island and we'll see what we're up against okay?"

"Wait a minute Luke. I'm sending Lucky and I can't let you go over there. This is Helena we're dealing with", Mac added.

"Exactly. Which is exactly why I'm going", Luke firmly stated. "Lucky will need back up and who knows what she's planning. I know how she operates. I'll make the arrangements to leave tonight." Luke gave Mac a glance- they knew all too well what Helena was capable of.

Reluctantly Mac nodded in agreement, though he wasn't too thrilled by the decision. "I'll call the Commander and let him know you're on his way. Keep me in the loop", Mac directed at Lucky as they left.

As Ethan followed Luke and Lucky out of the PCPD, he couldn't shake the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that he might not ever see his Krissy again!

The next morning, Kristina searched for a way to escape. She remembered all the hidden passages at Windermere and hoped the mansion had them too. She ran her hands over the walls, knocking here and there, hoping to hear a hallow spot. She was only about half-way around the room, when there was a light knock on the door. Kristina quickly jumped into bed again and calmly gave permission to enter.

"Miss? Miss Kristina may I clean your room?" the maid meekly asked.

Kristina gave a small smile and nodded. Chara, a young woman Kristina estimated to be in her early 30's, had been taking care of her room and laundry since she'd arrived. Kristina spoke to her a couple of times, hoping to befriend her as a way of getting information about Helena as well as a way out.

"Hi", Kristina greeted as she put her bathrobe on.

Chara frowned with a worried expression upon seeing the uneaten dinner from the night before. "You must eat", she urged with a thick Grecian accent shaking her head concerned. "You are skin and bones."

"I'm not hungry, but thanks. How are you? Were you able to get off a couple of hours early to see your daughter's dance recital yesterday?"

She immediately took the sheets off the bed to put the new ones on. "Yes! Thank you so much for talking me into asking for the time. Ms. Cassadine was more than accommodating and I was surprised when she offered to pay me for a full day's work"¸ she relayed with a smile.

That's great. I told you, it's best to stand up for yourself and your little girl."

Chara continued to make the bed with the new sheets and then went into the bathroom. Kristina followed. "Can I ask you a question?" she carefully began.

"Of course Miss Kristina", Chara pleasantly replied.

"You said you've worked for Helena for 3 years and I was wondering if you can tell me more about what's on the Island. How big is the estate?"

"This place is so big I haven't really seen most of it. Of course this is the main house, then there's the secondary guest house and delivery outhouse", Chara described.

Kristina raised her brow, "Delivery outhouse? What is that?"

Chara smiled. "All the food, home goods, everything to keep the estate running and fully stocked is delivered there and then taken via the tunnels underneath the estate. Ms. Cassadine tries to minimize the presence of the staff so that's how we get around."

The revelation couldn't have been better and Kristina decided that was going to be the best way out of there. "Where do you access the tunnels?"

All of a sudden there was a knock on the door. Chara opened it to find Helena. "I'll take it from here", she shot Chara a cold glance.

Kristina gave Chara a look of sympathy as she quietly closed the door.

"Constantine is on his way for you my dear. You must get dressed."

Kristina's stomach turned at the thought of being pawned off like a prize. "No. I want some assurance that Ethan is okay and won't be harmed before I commit to this", she demanded.

"As long as you cooperate and do as you're told, Ethan will remain unharmed", Helena claimed.

"How do I know you haven't already killed him?" Kristina might be young but she wasn't naïve, especially when it came to Helena. She wasn't about to continue the charade without some kind of proof that Ethan was safe…alive.

Without saying another word Helena left the room. Fear rushed to the surface as Kristina thought she was giving the order to have him killed! She was mad at herself for provoking Helena…what was she thinking? Suddenly she felt weak and couldn't catch her breath, so she sat on the edge of the bed as pure terror set in. She was never going to see Ethan again!

A few minutes later, Helena reentered the room and handed her a photo. Cautiously Kristina took it- it was Ethan! He looked so lost, staring out at the sea with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. Her heart skipped a beat looking at the picture as she noticed the pain in his eyes.

"When was this taken?" She questioned.

"Last night. He just returned to Port Charles from Atlantic City. Now that you have proof he's alive, pack your things. Constantine will be here shortly", she ordered.

"Why am I packing?" Kristina was confused. She thought she was going to stay with Helena until the wedding, set in a couple of weeks.

"Constantine wants to get to know you better, so he's taking you on a little pre-wedding trip…to his estate in Tuscany", Helena announced.

Knowing if she was taken from the Island no one would ever find her, she tried to stall. "But I'm not ready. You said it yourself I need more time to learn the customs."

Helena shot her a look of disapproval. "These stalling tactics are fruitless my dear. You will continue your lessons while you're with Constantine. He's hired a chaperone to teach you proper etiquette while on your trip." She took a suitcase out of the closet. "Now pack your things. He'll be here in an hour", she demanded.

Kristina's anxiety rose and hopelessness began to seep in. How would anyone find her?

Constantine was having coffee on the veranda overlooking the garden in the vast Margolis estate, when his father Stefan walked out. He spoke with a thick Grecian accent, "So I hear you're meeting her today?"

"Yes father. Don't worry. Everything is under control. Ms. Cassadine has assured me there will be no complications", he said with irritation in his voice at his father's question.

"This union is the single most important event in the family's history…we can't afford anything interfering", Stefan warned.

"I know father! It's all been arranged. I'm taking my new bride on a pre-wedding trip and then in 2 weeks, we'll have everything we've ever wanted." Constantine looked out across the garden to the sea in the distance. He had no intentions of letting anything come between him and his new bride. There was too much at stake.

"Excuse me sir?" Constantine's assistant broke his train of thought.

"Yes Reggie what is it", he asked a little annoyed.

"Commander Geirgos to see you sir."

Stefan motioned to show him in. "Hi Commander what can we do for you?"

"I need to speak to your son a moment." By the look he gave Constantine it was clear something was wrong.

A little offended, Stefan reluctantly left to give them privacy. "What's wrong?" Constantine had a feeling it wasn't good.

"I got a call from the Port Charles Police Commissioner who informed me of Ms. Cassadine's little jaunt to pick up her great-granddaughter. Apparently, he's sending one of his detectives to get her", he relayed the news.

"I had a feeling something like this might happen. Don't worry, I've got it covered. I'm taking my new bride on a little trip. Just stick with the plan and I'll take care of the rest. Besides in 2 weeks the deal will be done", Constantine added with a smirk.

"Okay. I'll keep in touch."

Stefan observed the Commander leave. "So what was that all about?"

Constantine sat at the table again, perusing the newspaper as if he were interested and took a sip of his coffee. "Nothing for you to be concerned with", he flippantly dismissed.

"If it concerns the girl, it concerns me", his father sternly reminded.

"I've got it under control remember?" Constantine looked at his watch. "I've got to pick up my bride. I'll be in touch."

Stefan wasn't happy with his son's attitude. Their entire existence depended on his marriage to Kristina Corinthos. He hoped his son really did have control of the situation.

"Convenient for Commander Geirgos to suddenly be unreachable. What did his secretary say? Some type of emergency on the other side of the island?" Lucky had a feeling the Commander was probably under Helena's payroll.

"She had no idea what we were talking about", Ethan added frustrated. "I swear, if anything happens to Krissy….", his voice trailed as he choked back the lump in his throat.

Luke, Lucky and Ethan made it just outside the gates of the Cassadine Estate when a limo pulled into the circular driveway.

"Let's see what's going on at the ol' Cassie Compound", Luke said as he looked through his binoculars.

All Ethan could think about was getting Kristina out of there. "What do you see?" He asked Luke.

"Well, I see the security house to the north of the main house." He adjusted the binoculars. "There are at least….10 security guards. It's gonna be tough taking them all out."

"Is there another way inside? The less people we come in contact with the better", Lucky added.

"Years ago there was rumor that Mikkos built a complete network of tunnels underneath the entire compound. My guess is it might be over there", he pointed.

Lucky looked first and then Ethan. It was a building to the south of the main house. It appeared lots of deliveries were being directed there, with several trucks being unloaded. They watched as men scurried about, carrying the items into the building."

"I'd say that's our way in boys."

"Let's go then what are we waiting for?" Ethan was anxious to find Kristina.

"Wait Ethan we need a plan first. If Helena gets wind we're here she'll take

Kristina and we might never find her again", Lucky warned.

Luke pondered a moment then laid out the plan.

Downstairs Helena was ordering her staff to finish the final touches in preparation for Constantine's arrival, when Frankie entered the living room. "Mr. Margolis", he announced ushering him into the living room.

Helena greeted with a peck on each cheek. "My how handsome you've become. Pictures don't do you justice", she complimented. "I must say I'm a little jealous of my granddaughter."

"And you are as lovely as ever Helena. How long has it been?" He graciously returned.

"At least 9 years. I trust you have everything ready for the wedding? Kristina is looking forward to it", she lied as she sat on the couch. One of the servants poured coffee for both and then left the room.

Constantine smirked as he poured some cream into his cup. "Really?" He took a sip. "It's my understanding you snatched her from Port Charles. The Commander informed me a Detective Spencer is on his way to retrieve her. Could put a real wrench in our plan", he slyly quipped letting her know his discontent by the development.

Helena snickered. "Detective Spencer won't be a problem. I've been dealing with the Spencer's for years and while I've enjoyed Luke's games, this is one he won't be winning. Now, it's time for you to meet your bride."

After Helena's announcement, Kristina was more determined than ever to get the hell out of there. She quickly began looking for a secret passage and had just about given up when she decided to check the closet. It was a huge walk-in closet with shelves, cubbies for shoes and an entire wardrobe all in her size. Helena had the clothes made special for Kristina and though they were beautiful, Kristina had refused to wear any of it. Unfortunately, she had no choice and packed a few things at Helena's order for her pre-wedding trip.

She ran her fingers through every cubbie, shelf and corner as she worked her way around, knocking on various sections until she got to the far right corner. She could hear an echo and realized it was hallow on the other side of the wall. It took all her strength, but as she pushed on it, to her amazement the wall retracted! She cautiously went into the dark corridor then slowly made her way around the corner. The corridor led to another one and Kristina faintly heard voices. As she continued, the voices got louder, clearer and a few minutes later, she realized she was above the living room listening to Helena. She didn't recognize the man, but heard Helena call him Constantine. Her heartbeat quickened, as it became clear her time to escape was slipping away! Though she wanted to run as fast as she could she knew Helena would kill Ethan if she disappeared, so she hurried back to the room just in time to see Helena enter.

"Come. Constantine is ready to meet his bride", Helena motioned. Kristina hesitated, which only irritated Helena. "The deal is you cooperate 100% and Mr. Lovett continues to breathe. Now, it's time to meet your finance Kristina", she coldly added, staring into Kristina's eyes as she held out her hand.

Kristina swallowed hard, refusing to do what her body screamed at her to do- which was completely breakdown. She had to remain strong. She gingerly took Helena's hand and was led towards her destiny.

As they headed downstairs, Helena's assistant met them mid-way and whispered in her ear. Concern mixed with a little bit of amusement flickered in her eyes.

"Well Miss Corinthos. I guess the Calvary has arrived on our little island", Helena chuckled. "Bring her back to the room and stay with her until you hear from me", she ordered her assistant. Helena noticed the relief spread across Kristina's face and small smile. "You'll be gone by the time Mr. Lovett even comes close to you my dear", she added with a sneer then went to inform Constantine of the developments.

The security guard at the entrance to the building was totally taken by surprise when Luke grabbed him around the neck, rendering him unconscious. They stealthly entered the building and hid behind a bunch of crates until the coast was clear. Several men emerged from stairs opposite them and Luke figured that was the entrance to the tunnels. Lucky and Ethan hurried down the stairs and was able to sneak up and cold-cock the 2 men guarding the door. Luke joined them and they all entered the tunnel. As they continued down the corridor a door slammed in the distance, then they heard footsteps coming toward them! They stopped cold in their tracks, but quickly hid around the corner just as 2 security guards ran past. A few minutes later their radios could be heard echoing throughout the tunnels.

"I've got three down- one outside the delivery outhouse and two inside", one of the security guards relayed.

"Couldn't have gone too far let's check the perimeter again. I didn't see anyone inside the tunnels, but let's also alert Burt to be on the lookout in the main house", another suggested.

Ethan, Luke, and Lucky were holding their breaths hoping not to be discovered. They heard the door to the tunnels slam shut again then waited several more minutes before continuing down the corridor. Little did they know they were walking straight into Helena's trap!

Ethan, Lucky and Luke continued up the corridor until they came to the door at the end of it. They listened for several long seconds, but didn't hear anything on the other side, so Luke cautiously opened it to find the entrance to the kitchen. They all entered and noticed a couple of chefs cooking, as well as several maids putting trays of food together. Luke waited until they all left with the trays, then motioned for Ethan and Lucky to go across the kitchen towards the doors on the far end. They quickly made it to find a small dining room on the other side of the swinging doors. As they quietly crossed the dining room, they could hear Helena talking to someone in the living room beyond.

"I've been alerted they're on the premises. They won't get near her. However, you need to get her out of here." She handed Constantine a piece of paper. "I'll handle the Spencer's", she assured. "She's in her room. Now go!"

"We'll be back on the 22nd for the wedding. If anything arises please call my father. He'll know how to reach us", Constantine informed. Then he looked at the piece of paper as he hurried off to get Kristina.

Helena turned to Frankie, "You know what to do." With that, Frankie nodded then left to carry out the order.

Ethan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing about the wedding date. "There is no way I'm letting her marry that asshole! We have to get to her!" He frantically whispered.

"I'll distract Helena, you two find her and I'll meet you at the rendezvous. Go!" Luke whispered.

Ethan and Lucky looked at each other and then headed upstairs. Meanwhile Luke decided it was time for a little visit with Helena. He was about to make his move, when someone patted him on the shoulder. Luke slowly turned with a smirk, then feeling a gun in his back put his hands up. Frankie violently pushed him into the living room. Helena's face lit up.

"Luke! Why how nice of you to make an appearance. I can't imagine what brings you here", she played.

"I just couldn't stand to be away from you for so long darlin'. I've missed our little teta tat", he flirted as usual.

Helena waved Frankie away so Luke crossed the room, then took Helena's hand and kissed it. "I see you haven't changed a bit", she returned with a glimmer of lust in her eyes. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Come now Helena. You know why I'm here", Luke toyed with a slick smile.

"Aaahh yes. Natasha. How is my bastard granddaughter? Incompetent as always I assume?" She quipped .

Suddenly without warning Luke grabbed Helena by the arm, pulled her close to him and reached around from behind with his hand on her throat! "All I have to do is squeeze", Luke calmly threatened in her ear then nibbled it a little.

Helena chuckled as though it were foreplay. "Try it and I give the order to kill your son", she sneered.

Luke immediately released her. "What are you talking about?"

"My, my, my. Thought you had it all figured out did you Luke? I have to admit, I'm curious about Mr. Lovett…another bastard child. No wonder he's in love with Kristina Corinthos- two of a kind", she cackled.

"You leave my son out of this. This is between you and me", Luke tried.

"My darling Luke", she gingerly touched his cheek with her fingertips. "This has nothing to do with you…I know it's hard to believe, but Natasha made her bed and now she has to lie in it."

She called Frankie back into the room. "Show Mr. Spencer to his quarters", she ordered. He took hold of Luke's arms from behind.

"You're making a huge mistake Helena", Luke warned. "You do anything to either of my sons, you'll have me to deal with and it won't be friendly", he threatened.

Helena walked up to Luke then slowly touched his lips with hers. "No Luke, it's you that's made the mistake."

And with that, she watched as Frankie hauled Luke off towards his accommodations.

Ethan and Lucky slowly made their way up the spiral staircase and began checking rooms. There were 2 corridors and about 15 rooms on the 2nd floor. Ethan was losing hope as he continued to check rooms down the east corridor. He got to the last room at the end and knocked.

"Kristina? Kristina are you in there?" He whispered as loud as he dared and tried the door but it was locked.

Lucky came around the corner. "Anything?"

"I don't know. The door is locked."

"That's strange", Lucky commented.

Kristina was staring out the window trying to decide what to do and how to get out of there when she heard Ethan. It was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard! "Ethan! I'm here!" She excitedly returned, then ran towards the door only to be silenced by Helena's assistant.

He immediately grabbed hold of her, clapping his hand over her mouth! Though she struggled, she was no match for the 225 lb. thug.

"Kristina! Open the door luv", Ethan jiggled the handle. There was silence. "Kristina? Come on honey open the door." Again nothing. Ethan put his ear the door but didn't hear anything…no movement. "She's in there Lucky. Why won't she open the door? Kristina? Maybe she's hurt!" The thought turned his stomach.

"Move back", Lucky motioned then kicked the door down.

Ethan ran inside to find the room completely empty! "Kristina? Kristina!" He checked the bathroom and the balcony, while Lucky checked the closet.

When Ethan joined Lucky in the closet he stopped short…Lucky had Kristina's bracelet in his hand. "Oh my God! That's the bracelet I gave to her for graduation!" This was not a good sign. She obviously struggled enough for the bracelet to break off her wrist and he knew she never took it off. He looked up to see the secret passage to the tunnels.

Lucky saw Ethan swallow hard and knew what he was thinking. As Ethan and Lucky ran down the corridor, they could hear Kristina's voice echoing in the distance from deep within. "Let me go! Let go! Ethan! Ethan I'm here!" She frantically called out.

Constantine dragged Kristina by the arm as fast as he could through the corridor and ran across the grounds to a helicopter that was waiting for them. Ethan and Lucky exited the tunnels, the guards right at their heels, in time to see Constantine shove Kristina into the helicopter!

Ethan ran as fast as he could. "Kristina! Kristina!" Fear enveloped him as he saw the terror in Kristina's eyes. Then the helicopter took off and the last thing he saw was Kristina mouth 'I love you' with tears in her eyes.

The security guards grabbed Lucky and Ethan though they fought back, it was clear they were outnumbered and stopped upon hearing a single gunshot. They were escorted back through the tunnels; down a flight of stairs to a room with a cage…Luke was there.

"What happened?"

The guards threw Ethan and Lucky into the cage with such force, they fell to the ground. Ethan got up and tried to bum rush the guard, but the door slammed before he got close enough to grab him.

"They took off in a helicopter. It was a trap. Helena had Margolis grab Kristina via the secret passage from her closet. We couldn't catch up", Lucky informed.

"Where could he be taking her?" Ethan sat on the bench, head in his hands completely falling apart. With no idea of where they were going, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Lucky sat next to Ethan. "We'll find them. We'll get her back", he tried to sound confident.

"How can you say that? This maniac has taken Krissy against her will to God knows where. There's no way we're going to find her! Who knows what he'll do to her and what about this wedding? What the fuck is that all about? I can't…lose…her." Ethan began pacing back and forth as a million different gruesome scenarios flashed in his mind.

Luke tried to calm him down. "Let's just think this through. Why would Helena need to have Kristina marry this guy?

Ethan was pissed. "Who the fuck cares! The point is he's got her, we have no idea where they are and this wedding is supposed to be in 2 weeks!" He shot back completely frustrated.

Lucky stood up. "Dad is right Ethan. What is Helena's motive? There's got to be a reason for all of this. We find that reason and we can turn the tables."

"Such confidence and conviction Lucky", Helena cracked. She had just entered the tunnel to look at her prize.

"What game are you playing Helena? Using Kristina as a pawn…for what?" Luke tried.

Helena sat on the bench across from the cage. "Now Luke, you know the rules. It's not sporting to disclose the cards before the hand is dealt."

"Lady you are one sick bitch! How can you do this to your own great-granddaughter? She's terrified!" Ethan screamed at her with pure hate.

"Bastard great-granddaughter", Helena pointedly corrected with disgust. "She shouldn't even be alive. In fact, when I think about it, neither of you should. I do like the irony though- 2 bastard children finding each other against all odds. I suppose you think your love is an epic romance", she sarcastically teased with a chuckle as she stood in front of the cell.

"I heard you were ruthless, however, never did I truly understand that until now!" Ethan lunged at the cage and tried to grab her! Of course Helena stepped back, so he grabbed the bars of the cage instead and shook them as hard as he could as his anger continued to rise.

"This is just my point. Look at you, acting like you're a barbarian. Constantine Margolis is refined royalty. What makes you think Kristina hasn't fallen in love with him? Maybe she wants to become his wife. Constantine is rich, good looking, worldly, refined…who are you?" Helena looked Ethan up and down as though he was dirty dog kicked to the curb. "You're nothing but a scruffiant, a diamond in the rough who will never be polished. I suppose that's fitting…having Luke for your father. You're not good enough for my great-granddaughter and she knows it. She's come to terms with that and is cooperating 100%", Helena embellished the lie.

Ethan had enough. "You're a fucking liar Helena! I saw the fear, the terror in her eyes when that helicopter took off and you're trying to convince me she wanted to leave? You really _are_ demented!"

Lucky pushed him back to the bench and tried to calm him down. "Listen man, this is what she wants. Don't let her push your buttons. She's trying to find your weakness and how she can manipulate you. Don't give her anything. We're gonna get out of this."

Ethan looked at the floor and slightly nodded.

"So what's the plan Helena? Are you planning to just leave us here to rot?" Luke angrily shot back as he rattled the cage. 

Just then Chara brought in food for the prisoners. She was shocked when she saw the cage and looked at Helena apprehensively. "Just put the food in front of the door there", she ordered.

"Ever the gracious hostess", Luke sarcastically quipped.

"I figure it'll be best to keep you here until after the wedding. We wouldn't want any unforeseen…disruptions. I'll leave you to your food. Come on Chara", she sternly ordered.

As they walked away, Chara looked at the trio with sorrow, but followed Helena back to the main house.

The helicopter landed on the tarmac where a private jet waited. Constantine helped Kristina out, then escorted her to the jet by the arm. Kristina wasn't leaving without a fight and managed to pull away from his grasp! She ran out of the hanger as fast as her legs would carry her and hid behind a luggage cart.

"Kristina", he called out. "This isn't becoming of a new bride", Constantine coaxed. "You'll never get away. This airport is owned by my family so you might as well come out."

She had no intentions of giving up. She quietly slipped around behind another small jet parked on the tarmac, then hid behind one of its wheels.

Constantine's thugs methodically searched around the luggage carts, as well as several maintenance vehicles. Then one of them spotted Kristina. She never saw him sneak up behind. Suddenly he grabbed her! She struggled fearlessly, thrashing trying to break free from his grip but it was no use. Constantine walked over, ordered him to release her and then stood with his arms folded on his chest like he was scolding a schoolgirl.

"The deal is done. There's nothing you can do and my family's security depends on our union. Now, things will go a lot smoother if you cooperate because I'm prepared to drug you if necessary. I'd rather not have a doped up bride, but if that's what it'll take so be it", he looked at her with piercing cold eyes that showed no emotion.

"How can you do this?" Kristina hoped there was some shred of humanity within him. "Helena took me from my home, dragged me here and expects me to just go along with it? I have a life, family and E….." She stopped herself before finishing the sentence.

"Ethan Lovett. I must say I'm impressed he'd come all the way around the world to get you back. Must really love you", he added with a sarcastic smirk. "Look. We are at an empass. We can do this the easy way or the hard way- it's your choice."

Kristina knew fighting was futile and she was still concerned Helena would kill Ethan if she didn't continue with the charade. Without another word, she turned towards the jet, but pulled away from Constantine's grip. His touch turned her stomach. As they boarded the jet, Krissy slyly dropped a crumpled piece of paper she had in her fist. It was the only thing she could do.

As the door to the jet closed, to Kristina it sounded like a prison door and felt like the last time she'd see freedom again.


End file.
